Hours to the planned nationwide protests against hardship in the country beginning today, the Lagos State Police Command last night said its operatives foiled a bomb attack in Ikeja, the seat of the state government.
   
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident which happened around Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) facility in Ikeja.  He said the device, which was wrapped in a bag, was dropped by the roadside from an unregistered vehicle along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way.
   
According to the Commissioner, Nigerian Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD-CBRN) command, a white Toyota Corolla car was sighted parked close to the gate of Police Mobile Force, PMF 23, Barracks along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way Ikeja when a young man, who alighted from the car, crossed the highway, dropped a bag by the side of the Nigerian Customs Service Federal Operations Unit fence, returned to the vehicle and zoomed off.
   
The act got the attention of the security operatives from the base, who quickly mobilised to the area, identified the content to be an improvised device and subsequently cordoned off to detonate the device accordingly.
   
The Lagos State Police Command has, however, assured residents of its commitment to maintain peace and order during the protest. Hundeyin, in a statement, stated that the command would not allow any person or group to infringe on the fundamental human rights of others, including the right to freedom of movement and dignity.
   
“This assurance has become imperative following news making the rounds about nationwide protests billed to start on Thursday, August 1, 2024, an action capable of grounding commercial activities and obstructing free flow of traffic.”
 
The command also emphasised its role in enforcing a court order restricting protests to designated areas. It added: “The command is in receipt of an order from a court of competent jurisdiction restricting peaceful public protest, rallies, procession and meetings to Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ikorodu Road, Ojota, and Peace Park, Ketu, from 8:00a.m. to 6:00p.m. The Nigeria Police Force, as a law enforcement agency, shall duly enforce this order.
   
The police urged protesters to abide by the security arrangements to ensure zero breakdown of law and order and prevent hijack of the protests.

This is as the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has implored residents to reject violence and disorder, but instead embrace dialogue and collaboration.
   
Sanwo-Olu, in a 20-minute address yesterday, called on those planning to stage the #EndBadGovernance protest in Lagos to shelve their plans and embrace dialogue with the government for their concerns to be resolved.
   
He stated that there was no need for the protest, stressing that so much was being done by the government across sectors to alleviate the pains of the citizens and set the country on the path of sustainable prosperity.
   
The governor said although peaceful protests remained fundamental rights protected by the Constitution, he is sending a strong warning to elements with sinister tendencies who may want to exploit the demonstration to execute their own plans.
   
Sanwo-Olu said the state had received and would implement the court order restricting the demonstration to two places — Peace Park and Gani Fawehinmi Park, both in Ojota. The governor advised anyone who wished to protest to obey the order and limit their demonstration to the approved locations.
   
However, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to protect Nigerian youths that will protest.
   
In a statement, he urged Egbetokun to caution security agents not to fire a single bullet on protesters, noting that “protesters are our children and our own citizens. They certainly do not deserve bullets and crackdowns.”
   
Adegboruwa also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reverse the twin policies of oil subsidy removal and currency devaluation that have worked to cripple the economy and throw Nigeria into its worst economic crisis.